Time To Move
by Beautiful Secrets
Summary: An old flame of Danny's becomes the key witness to a horrific crime...and the next target of the killers.
1. Horrific Crime

From beneath the tree in the yard, with the sunlight dotted through the branches, Leigh kneeled in the dirt, and pushed the last flower into the ground. She smiled, and tossed the now empty container into the trash, before stepping back to examine the small gathering of flowers she'd planted.

"Leigh!" She turned around, and raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah?" The man in the doorway held up the cordless handset, waving it slightly.

"You got a phone call – someone named Kevin, says you know 'em." Leigh jogged up to the house, and took the phone, ducking into another room.

With a small smile, she placed the phone on the hook, and poked her head into the kitchen.

"Don?" The young man turned from his place at the counter. "You didn't happen to grab the trash bag I left outside, did you?" He chuckled, but shook his head, turning back to the counter.

"No," he smirked. "Of course not. Got busy makin' dinner." Pulling her hair out of the ponytail, she nodded.

"Alright. I'm gonna grab it. Can you do me a favor? Kevin Martin needs a small loan…so…grab my check book and dig out a contract for me?" she asked, heading out the door without waiting for an answer.

Leigh picked up her trash bag from near the tree, and moved to the curb, dropping it into her garbage can. As she closed the lid, a sound from across the street startled her, and she jumped, turning to see. A few houses down the street, she spotted someone race out, and climb into the waiting car at the curb. Glancing around, Leigh crouched some behind the trash can, watching as the SUV peeled away from the house, and sped off down the street. As they passed her, she stood, and watched the car, before heading down the street, and knocking on the front door.

"Katy? Everything okay?" There was no answer inside. She waited, and dug her phone from her pocket to try calling. Leigh could hear the phone ring and ring on the other side of the door. Gulping slightly, she reached up and pushed the door open, glancing around.

"Katy? It's Leigh…I heard a noise, I just wanna make sure you're okay…" she said, biting her lip. Still no answer. She glanced around, making her way towards the kitchen, but paused when she saw the living room. Furniture had been thrown around, pictures broken, the table snapped in half. Leigh felt herself pale, but turned away, and started for the stairs.

Upon reaching the top, she peeked around the corner, avoiding putting her hands on anything. A door at the end of the hall was kicked in, broken wood visible on the frame. Without hesitating, she moved down the hall to the room, calling out Katy's name. Her feet stopped; her skin so pale she practically blended into the white walls behind her. The carpet at her feet had bloody tracks in it. As Leigh entered the room, she fumbled with her cell phone to dial 911. Her screams and sobs filled the dispatcher's ears, the panic fully evident, as Leigh dropped her phone, and begged for it not to be real.

_**PAGE BREAK**_

Leigh sat down in the kitchen, her head down, her body shaking, as the officers traveled the stairs more than Katy had in her five years of living in that house. She couldn't move her eyes from the floor, from her feet, as the NYPD moved around her, talking and taking photos, and notes.

"Are you Leigh?" a kind female voice asked. She lifted her head, very slowly, tears still running down her cheeks, and nodded.

"Y-Yeah…Leigh Karlana…" she replied softly. The woman reached out her hand, smiling slightly.

"I'm Stella. Why don't you come outside with me, so we can talk?" Stella asked. Leigh, sniffling, took Stella's hand, and stood, following her out the door into the yard.

The women stepped off the sidewalk, and moved towards a small iron bench in the garden, where Stella let go of Leigh's hand and let her sit.

"So…Leigh…I know this is difficult…but why don't you tell me what happened? You can be brief – we can get full details at the station," she explained, crouching. The young brunette cleared her throat, and sniffled.

"…I live just down the street, right over there," she said, motioning to her house. "I was planting flowers under the tree, and had come back out to put the garbage in the can…I heard some loud noises coming from down the street, and when I looked up…someone was running from the house….I crouched so no one would see me…when they had passed, I came over…the door was open, so I walked in. The living room looked like that, and I went upstairs. I kept calling for Katy, but no one answered. At the top of the steps, I saw her door, and that it'd been kicked in…there was blood on the floor…that's when I called the cops."

"Do you have any idea who would have wanted this to happen?" Leigh thought, but shrugged.

"She used to have an abusive boyfriend…but she left him last year, I don't know why he'd hold a grudge so long," she answered, uncertain. Stella nodded, and glanced around.

"Why don't you rest out here a little longer, and I'll come get you before we head to the station, okay?" Leigh simply nodded, and lowered her head again, focusing her unsteady attention on the dirt in the garden. Stella stood, and headed back into the house, slightly shaking her head.

_**PAGE BREAK**_

"Just have a seat, I'm going to go get you some water," Stella said, waiting for Leigh to take a seat at the long table before closing the door. She moved through a series of desks and yammering officers, stopping at the water cooler to fill up a cup for Leigh, before turning back towards the desks. One young man stood beside his desk, glancing through papers on the corner of it, not realizing Stella was watching.

"Hey, Flack…" He lifted his head, and smiled.

"Hey, Stella. Heard you got a case this morning?" She nodded.

"The only witness is waiting in the other room…" He nodded, and pulled his jacket off his shoulders, slinging it over the back of his chair.

"How's she doing?" Stella sighed, and shrugged.

"So far…I guess as good as can be expected."

Her fingers traced small patterns across the top of the table, pausing only when the door opened, and she heard Stella's voice entering.

"Alright, Leigh…let's start from the beginning, tell me as much as you can about what happened today, and in a little bit, we'll head back out to see if we can give the man you saw leaving the house a face," she said, closing the door, and setting a file and tape recorder down upon the table.

"I, uh…I really didn't get a great look at him, so…I think I'll only be able to give you basics," Leigh spoke, biting her lip as she looked at Stella.

"Whatever you can give us will be better than nothing. We have better luck having _something_, because when we release that we have a witness, more people who may have seen something tend to step forward," Stella replied, as the door opened again. Leigh raised an eyebrow, tilting her head as an older gentleman rounded the table, and leaned against the wall. "Leigh, this is Detective Mac Taylor, he's heading the investigation. Mac, this is Leigh."

"Nice to meet you, Leigh."

"You too, Detective…" she replied, nodding some as she glanced between them, and then down at the recorder. Stella reached down, and pressed her finger into the buttons.

"Whenever you're ready, Leigh. We'll stop you if we have any questions," Mac said, clasping his hands in front of him. Leigh cleared her throat, and laid her hands out on the table, before taking a breath, and telling them the details of what happened that morning.

_**PAGE BREAK**_

Flack turned away from the window that peered into the interrogation room, and nodded his head at the younger man moving towards him.

"Hey, Danny." Danny looked up, and nodded.

"Hey, Flack…Stella and Mac in there?" he asked, motioning towards the window before looking back down at the photos in his hands.

"Yeah…with the witness from the Meeker case," Flack answered, leaning against the wall. "Whaddaya got there?"

"Oh, just some shots from the house – Lindsay printed 'em out so I could come find the others," he replied, stacking the papers up and looking up into the window.

Flack turned his head, looking at the interview, and watched as Leigh slid her hands across the table, pushing onto her fingertips to describe the way something looked, before flattening her palms against the table. She was still shaky, and visibly pale, but the slightest hint of color seemed to be returning to her face.

"She seems to be doin' well, all things considered," he said, shaking his head and looking over at Danny. "…You, on the other hand, got a look of familiarity on your face." Danny glanced up, and shrugged.

"And if I do?"

"Just pointin' it out. You know her, Danny?" Flack asked, eyebrow raised. For a moment, Danny just watched through the window, watched Leigh's hands move across the table, her eyes darting from Stella, to Mac, to the recorder, and down to her hands. He finally nodded, and looked over at Flack.

"Yeah…I did know her. Haven't seen her in a few years, though," he finally replied, shrugging a little before moving from the window. "Tell Stella to swing through when she's done," he added, heading away from Flack.


	2. Old Friends

Mac opened the door, stepping back and holding it for Leigh and Stella. Leigh ducked her head slightly, voicing a small 'thank you' to both of them as she stepped out. As they stepped out of the room, Stella reached out, and placed her hand gently on Leigh's shoulder.

"Hey…you alright?" Leigh moved her hand to wipe away the couple of tears from her cheek.

"I found a good friend of mine murdered in her bedroom this morning…yeah, I think I'm okay," she replied, shaking her head.

"With your help, we can put away whoever did this. Leigh…this is Detective Flack. If you want to go with him, he can help you put together a composite of the person you saw leaving Katy's house, okay?" Stella offered, placing a hand against Leigh's arm as she motioned to Flack, who approached and stood a few feet away. Lifting her eyes, Leigh nodded.

"Sure…okay."

"Alright…C'mon, I'll lead the way…and Stell…Danny's lookin' for ya, said for you t'swing through when you were done," Flack added, reaching for Leigh's arm as he glanced at Stella. She nodded, her curls bouncing a little around her head, before looking back at Mac.

"Just stay with Flack – I'll be back soon, and we'll have someone take you home, okay?" Stella asked. Leigh nodded, and watched as Mac and Stella headed away before following Flack to his desk, where he tossed his jacket, and moved the chair for her to sit.

_**PAGE BREAK**_

Stella leaned around the doorframe, glancing around before crossing the lab to meet up with Danny.

"What've you got?" she asked, leaning against the table.

"Hey, Stell. Well, we managed to pick up a print in the bedroom, just a few feet from the body. I'm runnin' it, but what I got right now is that it's a man's size twelve…Linds found a partial print on her neck, which she's runnin' now. And Hawkes is helpin' Adam run through everythin' else we found, to see if we can find anything that could pin down someone specific." Stella nodded, and looked over her shoulder.

"Alright, just keep me updated, alright?"

"Always. Hey. How's Leigh?" he asked, turning his seat to face her. Raising an eyebrow, Stella turned back to see Danny, a curious look on her face.

"She's struggling to come to terms with this, like expected. You know her?" Danny shrugged, but nodded.

"Yeah. Well…I used to – it's been a few years since I've seen her or talked to her, though," he replied. Stella thought for a moment, and motioned for him to follow.

"C'mon, why don't we go see how she's doing, and you can give her a lift home?" Stella asked, but headed out without waiting for an answer. Chuckling, Danny tugged off his gloves, dropping them into the trash, and hung his lab coat up before following her down to the elevator.

"You're incredibly sneaky, aren't ya' Stell?" he snickered, shaking his head as the doors closed.

Flack leaned against his chair, head cocked, as he watched Leigh click a few times, and move her hands into her lap.

"There…he was moving fast, but…I think that's what he looked like," she replied, biting her lip and looking at Flack. He leaned towards the screen, looking at the image before nodding and standing.

"Well, let me get ya' some water, you think about it for a minute, alright?" he asked, patting her shoulder. She smiled, and nodded, pushing her fingers through her hair as she looked back at the screen. A couple moments passed where she sat quietly, hands folded in her lap, looking over the picture as she thought, before she heard the chair scratch and creak as he sat, and the cup of water came into her peripheral vision. Smiling, she reached out, and took it, taking a sip.

"Thank you, Detective Flack."

"Well, you're welcome, but last I checked, I wasn't Flack," Danny chuckled, clasping his hands in front of him as he leaned forward. She turned her head, and smiled, blushing.

"Danny Messer…Oh, God," she replied, shaking her head and chuckling. "I wasn't expecting to see you…but it's _nice_ to see you," she added, smiling at him. He watched her place the small paper cup onto the desk, before reaching over and putting his hand around her shoulder.

"I'm gonna drive ya' home, okay?" Danny asked, tilting his head a little.

"That sounds good, Danny. Uh…thank you," she replied, smiling. Flack leaned his hands on the back of her chair, looking at the monitor.

"Make any changes?" Leigh turned, slightly surprised, before blushing, and shaking her head.

"No…no, I looked him over, I'm positive that this is the person I saw leaving Katy's house," she answered, nodding to Flack.

He took a step back, and scooted her chair, so she had room to stand up, before smiling.

"Take care of yourself, Leigh," Flack replied. "You probably already know that you're in good hands with Danny," he added. She climbed to her feet, slowly, but nodded.

"He is a great protector," Leigh said, smiling and she turned to look at both Danny and Flack. "Thank you, Detective Flack…Everyone here has been so kind, I'm incredibly grateful."

"It's no problem. Stay safe," he replied, as Danny led her outside.

_**PAGE BREAK**_

Leigh made her way up the front steps, and opened the door, peering around.

"Looks like Don's not here," she smiled, pushing the door in further and stepping aside so Danny could come in. He glanced around, and smiled, reaching for the handle to close the door behind them.

"Let me guess, Leigh…still working from home?" She shrugged, grinning very slightly, before nodding.

"As always. I'm in between turn-around's right now, but that might be why Don's gone."

"You have an assistant?" Danny asked, following her to the kitchen.

"He started helping me about two years ago…" She opened the fridge, and after a second, closed it again, handing him a bottle of water.

"Why the change? You were incredibly adamant about working by yourself for as long as we were together," he replied, cracking the lid and taking a sip. Leigh hesitated, before setting her bottle down, hiking up her long shorts, and showing him the scar that traveled across her knee.

"I was visiting my sister, in California…Some loose screw ran a red as I was crossing, completely destroyed my car, snapped my leg, busted my arm. I couldn't do this on my own, and I couldn't shut everyone out. They needed me. So…I talked to Don. He was one of the first I brought through…said he was more than happy to help. Still hurts to run and take inclines, but I manage," she explained, lowering the fabric and sitting down with her water in hand.

Danny reached over, and patted her hand, nodding. She lifted her head, and smiled a little bit.

"I know how ya feel, Leigh. I, uh…I was in a wheelchair for a while. Shot in the back. I was so determined to get out of that chair, it just wasn't funny," he said, nodding. Leigh raised an eyebrow.

"What had you so determined, Danny? I'm not sure…that I have seen that look before," she said, moving her hand to point at his eyes. He smirked, but shrugged, before reaching into his pocket, and pulling out his wallet. Leigh turned her chair a little to see as he opened it, and held out a picture of him, a red-head, and a little girl.

"My wife, Lindsay, works at the lab with me, Stella, and Mac. And that is our daughter Lucy." Leigh took the picture, and Danny saw her expression become one of awe and love.

"Danny, that is so wonderful….and Lucy is so beautiful! Oh…Lindsay is too, of course," she added, glancing up before looking back down. "Danny Messer, you have become a family man, I just can't believe it," she laughed, shaking her head and handing the image back.

"You ain't the only one, Leigh," he said, putting the image away, and patting her knee. She reached out, and laid her hand over his, sighing.

"…it's good to see you again, Danny," she spoke, her voice full of emotions, but not wavering. He looked up, and nodded.

"You too…you too. Look…I gotta get back…" he said, after pausing for a moment. She lifted her head when he stood, and picking up the pen she had dangling by the phone. "Here…call if you need anything, alright?" he asked, dropping the pen a few seconds later, and moving to show he'd written down a phone number.

"Of course." Leigh stood, and led Danny to the door, turning to see him as she took the handle in her hand. "I know it's not protocol…but could you, uh…do you think you could keep me in the loop? Tell me if you find the guy?" she asked, raising an eyebrow and biting her lip.

She watched Danny bob his head a little, debating on the answer, before finally shrugged, and smirking a little, glancing up at her through his glasses.

"Yeah, I can do that. I got your number, so I'll call ya later, check on ya, 'kay?" he asked, curling the corners of his lips up as she blushed, but smiled.

"That'd be nice, Danny. Now go on – you should be working…." She paused, tilting her head. "Didn't I get you a shirt that said 'I should be working' on it?" she asked, snickering.

"Yeah…yeah ya did. Still got it," he added, before moving closer and pulling her in for an embrace. "Go lie down or somethin', Leigh. You've had a long day," he said, giving her shoulder a squeeze, before heading out the door, and down the street. She watched him go, before sighing, locking the door behind her, and heading up the steps to her bedroom.


	3. Brush With Death

Flack lifted his head as Danny passed through the doors, before lifting his hand, and waving him over. He looked around, but shook his head, and approached his friend, leaning against the desk.

"You got somethin', Flack?"

"Just makin' sure you're alright, Danny. How's she?" Danny shrugged, pulling his glasses off with one hand and rubbing his other hand through his hair.

"Seems alright. More relaxed now – I told her I'd check on her later," he replied, pushing his glasses back on. "What time are you out tonight?" Flack turned in his chair, looking at the clock, and then turned back towards Danny, shrugging.

"I'm planning a slip-out around eight. You needin' something?"

"I'm bettin' I'll be here longer, so when you go, you mind swinging passed her place, makin' sure things are alright? Someone might be there, a guy named Don, but that'd be it," he said, squinting his eyes a little to think before shaking his head again. "Somethin' about all this doesn't feel right, so…I'll just feel better goin' over there." Flack reached his hand up, swatting it against Danny's, before pointing over his shoulder.

"Not a problem. Now get outta here," Flack chuckled, shaking his head and turning his attention back to his computer.

_**PAGE BREAK**_

The shift ended, and Flack snuck out the door without anyone noticing his empty desk. Chuckling, he climbed into his car, and pulled out onto the street, making his way towards Leigh's neighborhood, glancing down at the small slip of paper he'd brought with her address on it. His fingers drummed on the steering wheel as he drove, passing businesses, houses, and everything in between. He almost didn't see the black SUV peel into the intersection only a few seconds before he was to pass. Flack jammed his foot into the brake, swerving slightly as the car sped down the road, around the corner, and out of sight. He released the breath he had been holding, and, shaking his head, cursed to himself before following for a block and turning towards Leigh's house.

Upon arrival, he saw only one light on the second floor was glowing, and became reluctant to pull into the drive, let alone knock on the door. Clearing his throat, he shut the car off, and pocketed the keys, climbing out of the car. He barely made it five steps when he saw that there was a light coming from the kitchen, easily visible through the open front door. Pausing, Flack glanced around, before moving towards his car, and grabbing his gun and his phone. Pocketing the phone and readying his weapon, he approached the porch, looking around and examining every spot he could as he entered the living room.

"Leigh? It's Detective Flack! Give me a sign so I know you're okay!" he called. There was no answer, but he didn't walk out. Instead, he nudged the broken pieces of the hall table out of his way, keeping his gun at the ready as he pulled out his phone, and called Danny.

"Messer."

"We got a problem, Danny…her place is a wreck, I think you need to get out here," he said, his voice low, before he snapped his phone shut, pocketed it, and continued through the hall.

Flack knew it wouldn't take Danny long to reach the house, but he hadn't expected him to get there as quickly as he did. Just as Flack reached the top of the stairs, his steps slow, silent, and cautious, he heard tires squeal outside, and Danny's voice come from the doorway.

"Flack?"

"Top of the stairs," he replied, head turned slightly. Danny took two steps at a time, making a light thud when his feet hit, before stopping behind Flack.

"Did you find her?" Flack shook his head, and pointed Danny down the hall to his left, before turning and heading to the right.

His gun drawn and clutched in his hands, Danny carefully approached each doorway, pushing the door open and clicking on the light inside. Each room was empty, with no sign of Leigh, causing the nervousness and discomfort to increase in the pit of his stomach.

The faint light that shone beneath the door at the end of the hall caught Danny's eye, and he gulped, stepping closer, and putting his hand on the handle. As he turned the knob, hearing it click and creak as he pushed against it, Flack's voice called to him from the other end of the hallway. Without looking inside the room, he turned and followed the voice down the hall to the bathroom.

"What's up?" he asked, poking his head around the corner. Flack turned his head, before pointing. The bathroom was torn apart – the mirror was broken, various bottles were kicked across the floor, the rug was bunched in the corner, and the contents of the medicine chest were scattered across the sink and the floor. Lowering his head to see the trail of destruction, Danny noticed a small stain on the rug, and crouched down, flicking on his flashlight to see it better.

"It's blood, Flack…" he said, watching Flack step over him with his light in hand, following small trail down the hall to the room Danny hadn't checked yet. His hand pushed against the door, but Danny watched as he caught it just as quickly, and yanked it shut, lowering his head.

"Danny…go downstairs and call for backup," he spoke, his voice strained. Danny pushed himself up, and raised an eyebrow.

"What's in there, Flack?"

"Just do it…" he said, pointing to the stairs with his free hand. Danny stared him down, his dislike of the order evident on his face, before sighing, and moving down the steps, his phone to his ear.

Flack waited for a moment, before opening the door, and stepping inside. The mattress was pushed slightly off the frame, and the ceiling light was on, but the bedside table was knocked over, the lamp broken. The cover on the clock was cracked, the numbers distorted, as it lay on the floor only inches from Leigh. She laid on her side, head bent down, one arm slung over her side and the other seemingly reaching for the clock. He sighed, running a hand down his face, before moving over to put her on her back.

As his hands touched her shoulders, and he voiced his apologies for not showing sooner, her body heaved, and she cried out, her hand grasping the clock as she spun onto her back to swing.

"Hey! Whoa! It's just me!" he hollered, grabbing the clock before she could hit him. She sat up, and scrambled backwards, before she saw Flack, and, within seconds, Danny, standing at the door. When she saw their faces, her body collapsed, and she began to sob, her face resting against the carpeting. Danny leapt across the room, tossing his phone to Flack before scooping Leigh off the floor and carefully pushing her hair off her face.

"Just me, Leigh, just me….breathe….breathe."

_**PAGE BREAK**_

The nurse gently pressed the bandage against her skin, and nodded slightly.

"There…it should be alright. Just, you know, take it easy for a few days." Leigh stared at her, not blinking, until she sighed and walked off. Stella, with a chuckle, patted her shoulder very lightly.

"You are incredibly lucky, Leigh. Flack thought you were dead," she said softly.

"I would have been," she murmured, putting her hand against her forehead. "Did…Flack and Danny go back to the station?" Stella shook her head.

"Flack is still at your house, and Danny is waiting in the lobby," Stella answered, reaching her hand out for Leigh's. Upon helping her stand, she led her from the examining room, and down to the lobby, where Leigh breathed out, and smiled softly.

"Danny Messer…I think I owe you my life," she said, glancing at Stella before moving towards him. He turned around to see her just in time for her arms to wrap around him, and pull him into an embrace.

"What? Why?"

"Because if it weren't for you, I would have kept fighting…instead I played dead, and the idiot booked it." Danny carefully put his arms around her waist, making sure not to squeeze too tightly, before stepping next to her and helping her outside.

"Well…you're welcome, then, Leigh. And you are not going home…you're gonna go back to the station with us, Flack is going to bring you some clothes, and we'll go from there." She kept her arm around his shoulders, using him as support as he helped her out to the car. Stella followed behind them, her phone against her ear, as she spoke with Mac back at the station.

_**PAGE BREAK**_

Leigh's fingers slid across the table top as she watched the detectives move around her from her place at Flack's desk. A small glass of water sat in front of her, with only a small sip taken from it, and her eyes were glazed over. Danny paused a few steps away from her, before smirking, and shaking his head.

"Paging Ms. Karlana. Ms. Karlana, please report back to the now," Danny said, his hands cupped around her mouth. She jerked around, and looked up at him, before breathing out and chuckling.

"Hey, Danny. What's the word?" she asked, pushing her hair off her face, and flinching as her fingers caught her bandage. He moved in, pushing her hands out of the way and gently moving her hair, before helping her stand.

"Flack's back with some of your stuff…I'm gonna walk you to the bathroom so you can change," he explained, leading her down the hall, and taking the bag from Flack as he passed them. Leigh laughed softly as she opened the bathroom door, before turning to look at him.

"You were planning to wait outside, right?" she asked, eyebrow raised.

"…maybe," he said slowly, smirking, which led her to giggle and shaking her head before taking the bag and closing the door.


	4. Never Forget, Danny Messer

His fingers pushed the door closed, and turned around, smiling at Leigh.

"You'll be safe here. Flack is going to stay here with you tonight, I'll be by in the morning to bring you to the station…" Leigh looked around, before gripping an edge of the comforter between her thumb and index finger, and pulling it off the bed.

"I don't understand why I have to stay at a hotel…don't you have a safe house or something like that? I mean…these rooms are really dirty," she said, biting her lip as she tossed the comforter to the corner. Danny sighed, and walked over, putting his hands on her shoulders so she could look at him.

"Listen. A safe house would be good, but this is safer, at least for right now. Outside of us and the hospital, no one knows you're alive. And as far as the hospital is concerned, they don't have a name, and you were incredibly beaten up when you went in. Flack is going to be here with you. You'll have the room to yourself, but no one gets this far without passing him," he replied. Leigh looked at Danny, and, with a soft sigh, lowered her head to his shoulder. He pulled her into a hug, leaning his head against hers, as he pushed her hair back carefully.

"I really don't like this, Danny…Can't you stay tonight, and Flack bring me in tomorrow?" she asked, lifting her eyes to give him a hopeful look. He looked at her for a minute, before sighing, and running his hands over his head, and down his hair.

"Tell you what…you put a smile on that pretty face of yours for tonight, and tomorrow I'll stay with you, alright?" he asked, smirking and sitting on the bed next to her. She blushed, and smiled, nudging him.

"You always did know the right things to say to me, Danny." He smiled in return, and put an arm around Leigh.

"Get some sleep. I'll see you bright and early tomorrow morning." She nodded, and stood, walking him to the door.

"Promise?" she asked, biting her lip as he moved his arm to unchain the door. Danny paused, before turning to see her.

"Promise. Now get some sleep," he laughed, pushing her a little. Leigh moved, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, and held him against her for a moment.

"…Look….I know you're married and all that jazz, but…I love you, Danny Messer…" She didn't move for a few seconds, waiting to see if he would answer, before pulling back, blushing a bright pink. "I just, eh…I just thought I would tell you that." He cupped her chin in his hand, and lifted her head, smirking.

"Love ya too, Leigh…" he said, kissing her forehead gently, before stepping out and pulling the door closed behind him.

_**PAGE BREAK**_

Flack rapped his knuckles against the door, just beneath the gold numbers, and leaned his head down as he waited. After a few seconds of silence, footsteps ruffled inside, and the bolt scraped against the wood, before the door opened and Leigh poked her nose out. Upon seeing Flack, she smiled, and undid the chain, opening the door.

"Hey…what's up?" she asked, stepping back so he could come in.

"Just checkin' on you…I heard the TV still on, so I just wanted to make sure you were alright." He poked his head around the room, ensuring things hadn't changed anymore than necessary.

"I'm fine. I can't sleep, so I'm just trying to watch something so _boring_," she groaned dramatically, pointing towards the news channel that was on. He chuckled, smirking.

"Want me to bring ya anything? Somethin' ta drink, maybe?" he asked. Leigh considered the offer, but shook her head, smiling a little.

"Thanks, Flack, but no. I really should just force myself to sleep…I'm not doin' anyone any good by staring at the TV blankly," she replied. Patting her shoulder, Flack headed back towards the door, and nodded.

"I'm right outside the door. Any odd noise, and I'll be right in here," he said, looking back at her. "Lock up this door – deadbolt, chain, everything. I can kick it down if I have to," he said, before pulling the door closed. Leigh chuckled, shaking her head a little, before moving up and hitting the deadbolt, the chain, and the knob lock. Sighing, she leaned her head against the door.

"I just want this to be over," she murmured, squeezing her eyes closed. After a second, she reopened her eyes, and turned around. Leigh barely made it two steps before she stopped cold, and widened her eyes. The window across the room was open, the curtain blowing in the breeze.

_**PAGE BREAK**_

Flack's head shot up when he heard the clatter inside the room.

"Leigh? Leigh!" he hollered, without an answer. He reached down, removing his weapon from the holster on his hip. "Hey! Open this door!" he called, pounding his fist against it. When no answer came, he took a step back, lifted his leg, and slammed his foot against the door until it gave way. He passed the threshold, and found his weapon falling from his hands when he saw the state of the room, a look of sheer horror mixed with disbelief at how quickly the room was destroyed.

Danny raced up the steps, making it to the third floor before Stella climbed off the elevator, and shoved passed the officers taping off the floor.

"Move!" he exclaimed, making it through the room door before having Flack catch and stop him.

"Danny! Stop!"

"What the _hell_ happened, Flack?" he replied, seeing the mess over his shoulder. Flack shook his head.

"We're still working on how this happened, Danny, but you shouldn't see this." Danny took a breath, and shoved Flack out of his way, taking a couple more steps before stopping cold.

Blood was splattered across the floor, a little on the bedspread, but the body had already been removed from the scene. Looking around, he saw the lamp broken along the wall, with the cord ripped out, and lying at his feet.

"Flack…what….what happened to Leigh?" Flack sighed, glancing behind him as Stella and Mac entered the room.

"I came in around three to check on her, since the TV was still on. I was in here two minutes, walked back out, and was in my chair for three minutes…I didn't hear _anything_ until the window slammed shut. And when she didn't answer, I kicked in the door, and the place looked like _this_," Flack answered, motioning around.

"And Leigh?" Stella asked.

"…she was already dead…I'm sorry, Danny."

"How?" Danny asked, turning around, his eyebrows knitted together over the rim of his glasses.

"…looked like…she was stabbed. But we'll have to wait until Sid looks at her," he replied, shaking his head. Danny lowered his head, breathing in deeply, before shaking his head, too.

"Danny…I think you might be too close to this," Mac spoke up from the doorway, stepping around Stella. "You may wanna consider stepping down fr-"

"I'm not walkin' away from this case, Mac. I promised I'd be back to get her first thing this morning, and told her she'd be safe here…and what happens? She doesn't even make it through the first night before this son-of-a-bitch gets to her. I'm not steppin' down. I'm gonna find the guy who did this, and smash his face in," he replied, turning his head and grabbing her bag off the dresser by the television. "Now if you don' mind, I've gotta call her mother, and let her know what happened," he added, pushing his way through his friends and heading out the door. Flack watched him leave the room before glancing at Mac, sighing, and turning his attention back to the mess behind him.

_**PAGE BREAK**_

Danny set the bag down on the table in the lab, and stared at it, no longer sure if he wanted to look inside.

"Hey…" He tilted his head, turning to see Lindsay enter the lab, tugging slightly at her white coat, before resting her head on his shoulder. "I heard what happened…I'm sorry, Danny," she said, wrapping her arms around his waist. He clasped his hands over hers, and leaned his head against hers, shutting his eyes.

"I made her a promise, Linds. I promised that if she could put on a smile last night, I'd be there bright and early for her today, even though she kept tellin' me she'd feel better if I was outside her door."

"You had no way of knowing this would happen, Danny." He opened his eyes, glancing at her.

"Not literally…but she was really good at knowing her surroundings. She was a reader and a feeler – it's how she did so well in the job she had. And now I gotta call and tell her mom that instead of sitting at the station in our protective custody, she's downstairs with Sid while we wait for an official cause of death," he said, looking up as Lindsay released him and stepped around.

"We know _why_ this happened, Danny, so if we can find the person she identified coming from the house, then we'll be able to narrow our search…" She cupped his face in her hands, and looked him in the eye. "I'm sorry, Danny…I really am." He pulled her into an embrace, kissing her cheek, before sighing.

"…I love you, Lindsay," he said, shutting his eyes. She wrapped her arms around him, and sighed.

"I love you too, Danny…" The two remained wrapped in the embrace quietly for a moment, before he let go, and stood up, pulling her purse towards them.

"…Let me dig out her mom's number, then you can have this," he said, pulling open the bag and retrieving her cell phone from the inside pocket, handing it over to Lindsay without rifling through it. She nodded, and took the bag, brushing another gentle kiss on his cheek before leaving the room.

Danny pressed the _END _button on his phone, and stared at it for several minutes. His eyes finally closed, and he lowered his head into his hand, silently apologizing to the woman he had just ended a phone conversation with. As he heaved a sigh, and moved to pocket his cell phone, he heard footsteps behind him.

"Danny…you need to see this," Lindsay spoke, moving up behind her husband and holding out an envelope. He looked at it, confused, but when he saw his name scripted across the front in Leigh's oh-so-familiar handwriting, he grabbed a couple of gloves from the box on the edge of the table.

"Where was this?" he asked, snapping on the gloves and taking the envelope.

"In her purse, in the zipper pocket on the side. She had to have known someone here would find it…and it's dated yesterday." He looked up at Lindsay, before opening the envelope and, after handing it over to her, unfolded the letter, laying it out flat on the table.

_Danny,_

_ I don't think I could ever put into words how wonderful it was to see you, and how safe I felt knowing __you__ were working this case, and watching over me. _

_ If you are reading this letter, then we both know what's happened, so I don't believe I need to write it out. _

_ And if you are reading this letter within the next twenty-four hours…then we both share knowledge of something else. You made me a promise: Keep the smile on my face, and you'll be here bright and early. But no matter how 'bright and early' you arrive, it will be too late. I want you to make me another promise, though this one is different – you need to promise to keep your attention on catching the bad guys, not beating yourself up over a promise that was broken through no fault of your own. _

_ You are a tough guy, with a tough heart, and a sharp mind, but you are a wonderful person, with a family who clearly loves you, and who are lucky to have a man like you in their lives._

_ It's going to seem like a sharp turn, but the other reason I wrote this letter was to help you and the team put an end to all of this. _

_ The man I saw running from Katy's home is someone I don't know. The closest image of him you'll get from me is what I gave to Flack that first day. But the man inside the SUV…I did know him. I met him once, because of Katy. He is a very angry, very difficult man, but he's about as smart as a bag of hammers. He will slip up, he will make a mistake, and I guarantee it will be during the event that leads you to find this letter._

_ Danny…if you are at the lab reading this, go back to the room. I know it will be hard, but try to associate a stranger's face with this, instead of mine. When it's all over, you can put my face back on it…only…make it my smiling face. _

_ Never forget: no matter what happened in the past, no matter how things did and will turn out, I have always believed in you, and no matter how all of this turns out, I will always believe in you. Don't personalize this case – don't treat it any differently than any of your other cases. You were always stubborn, and you didn't like to take my advice on work, but try to take this advice. The team needs you more than I do now._

_ I love you, Danny Messer, no matter what is happening in our lives. You are a strong person with an open heart to the people who matter to you, and to put a weight on it would be a sin. _

_ Calliope _


	5. It Wouldn't Have Been Right

Danny stood at the top of the steps, and turned his head, looking over as cops moved in and out of the hotel room. Running his hand over his face, he pushed his glasses back onto his nose, and forced his feet down the hall. He peered inside, seeing Stella standing at the dresser, camera in hand.

"Hey, Stell." She looked over, and gave a very small smile.

"Hey, Danny…" He looked around the room, and swallowed hard before moving in further.

"Need a hand?" he offered, already pulling on gloves and heading towards the bed.

"I could always use a hand, sure…are you okay to do this, Danny? We won't think any less of you if you w-"

"I can't sit by, Stell. I have to deal with this, I need to fix it," he said, kneeling down at the end of the bed and crouching further to lift the blankets and peer beneath the frame. She watched him, before nodding.

"Let me know if you change your mind," she replied, before turning her attention back to the camera.

The two moved around the room, collecting pieces of evidence and taking pictures, for hours, before Danny came completely off the floor and moved to the window. After drawing the curtains back, and opening the window, he paused, and moved it back and forth in his hands.

"Hey, Stella…c'mere," he said, taking a step back from the glass. She turned from the bathroom door, and moved over. He pointed. "That look like a fingerprint to you?" Danny asked, smirking. She leaned in, and moved the glass slightly.

"It's on the outside of the glass…Danny, it's a good bet that this print belongs to the killer," she said, smiling, and patting his shoulder as he dug through the kit at his feet and pulled the print off the glass.

"I would bet you're right…let's just hope this guy's got a record," Danny answered, moving his things to the bed to put the print away.

_**PAGE BREAK**_

Lindsay tapped her fingers on the keys, scanning the print into the computer, and started the search for a match. As the computer ran the program, she moved over to the table, and laid the pieces of carpet removed from the room out in front of her. Danny poked his head around the corner and watched as she prepped the carpet, and flipped on the black light.

"Anything good?" he asked. She lifted her eyes, and smiled.

"Well…define 'good'," she answered, looking down and frowning at the smatterings of blood that were on the fibers from Leigh. "Have you seen Sid yet?" she asked, moving the light over the carpet, and swiping a couple random drops of something off the carpet for testing.

"On my way down now…came to see if you wanted to come with." She shut the light off, and tugged off her jacket, hanging it up as she followed him into the hallway.

"Of course I'll go with you, Danny…" Lindsay said, pressing the button for the elevator.

Sid turned his head when Danny and Lindsay entered the room, and he moved the sheet slightly, covering Leigh up to her shoulders.

"What'd ya find, Sid?" He stood up straight, and lowered his glasses around his neck.

"Well, Flack was right. She was stabbed…there's a wound to the chest, which would have killed her quickly, Danny…but…" he said, trailing off as he moved to pull up her x-ray.

"But what?" Danny prodded. Sid brought up a scan of her head and neck, before turning.

"She was stabbed, but had that been it, she would have suffered…whoever did this didn't _just_ stab her. He also did this," he said, pointing to her neck on the monitor, where there was a visible fracture.

"…he broke her neck…" Lindsay observed, her voice low, as she took Danny's hand. Sid cleared his throat, and nodded.

"She wouldn't have suffered," Sid spoke, moving his hands away from the image and looking towards them. Danny turned, and moved back towards the table, looking down at Leigh, who lay peacefully beneath the sheet.

"Did she fight?" he asked. Sid stepped over and lifted her hand, extending a couple of her fingers.

"When I got her back here, she had blood under her nails…it's upstairs in the lab," he replied. "It looked like she tried to fight back, and there are some cuts on her arms," he said, laying her hand down and moving to lift her other arm, revealing slash marks along her arms. Danny nodded his head.

"It wouldn't have been right if she didn't fight…" Danny said softly, looking up at her. "Was there anything else?" Sid shook his head.

"No…I saw some healed fractures in both her leg and her arm, but they looked older, so I can safely say they didn't happen last night…" he replied. Danny nodded, glancing towards Lindsay, then back at Leigh.

"She told me she broke both in California, two years ago…said her leg still bothered her."

"It's no wonder – it hadn't healed quite right," Sid said, bringing the x-ray up on the plasma. "I would guess she started using it before it had healed fully." For the first time all day, Danny laughed, and nodded.

"That sounds about right…she was always stubborn, especially about work. She'd have made herself walk if she thought she had to." Sid glanced over, and nodded.

"Other than that, I can't tell you much about what happened. If you wanted me to guess, I would say she tried to fight off her attacker, which resulted in the marks on her arms. He managed to stab her once, and then snapped her neck. The only pain she really would have felt would have been in the seconds between the wound to her heart, and the broken neck…" Lindsay looked away from Leigh's body, and up at Danny, who seemed to have a very slight look of relief on his face in knowing that. For a moment, Danny was quiet, but he finally nodded, and headed back out of the room.

"…Thank you, Sid," Lindsay said, nodding to him before following Danny into the elevator. "Danny?"

"I should have been in there with her, Linds. Or I should have made Flack stay in there with her…someone should have been in that room _with _her."

"Danny, you can't beat yourself up for this forever," she said, frowning and shaking her head. He looked up, before shoving a finger into the button by the door.

"I won't, not forever. But right now…right now, I'm angry, and it's not going to go away. I need to know why he broke her neck. What's the point? She was dying – by the time Flack got into the room, and if he had been able to get her to the hospital, she wouldn't have made it. They wouldn't have been able to do anything. Why break her neck?" Danny asked, a tone in his voice making it apparent that it was really bothering him. Lindsay took his hand.

"I don't know, Danny. But we're going to find out," she said, her voice determined, as she sharply nodded her head, before climbing off the elevator with him.

_**PAGE BREAK**_

Mac made his way down the hall, and stepped into the room, looking over at Lindsay as she typed at the computer.

"Any luck?" he asked. She turned, smirking, and held out a slip of paper.

"Oh yes. Got an ID on the fingerprint that Danny found on the window of the room…matches the DNA under Leigh's fingernails, and a couple of drops of blood on the carpet near the window," she said, hitting a button on the keyboard. Mac looked up at the monitor, raising an eyebrow at the mug shot looking back at him. "His name is David Cartier…and we know where he lives."


	6. A Sigh of Relief

Danny slammed his foot into the front door, gun drawn and pointed ahead of him, as he entered the apartment.

"David Cartier! This is the NYPD!" he hollered, hearing a rustling from down the hall. Flack moved around him, and backed against the wall, as Danny cautiously made his way towards the noise. He glanced over at Flack, before shoving in the bedroom door. Across the room, halfway out the open window, was a man clad only in shorts, attempting to get onto the fire escape.

"Oh, no ya don't!" Flack exclaimed, holstering his gun as he raced over and grabbed him by the band of his shorts, yanking him in and throwing him to the floor.

"Hey! I didn't do anything! You don't have permission to be in here!" the man yelled, wriggling as Danny pressed his foot into the man's back while Flack cuffed him.

"Yeah? Well, this warrant says we do, so bite your tongue – you're ours, Cartier, for murder," Flack said, yanking him to his feet so Danny could give him the OK that it was Cartier. The two led him back out the door, and down the steps of the building, shoving him into the back of the car before heading back to the station.

_**PAGE BREAK**_

Danny ran his hand down his face, glancing over as Flack entered the room. David, with a smirk on his face, leaned back against his chair, and didn't say a word.

"How's it goin', Danny?" Flack asked, flipping through the file in his hands.

"The man's not talking…he's just sittin' with that cocky smirk on his face. Ya know what, I'm really tempted to reach over and wipe that look off your face, Cartier." The man chuckled, and rolled his eyes.

"I'd love to see you try – you don't have anything on me." Flack handed the file over to Danny.

"You sure about that? Because I really think we do. We have your fingerprint and DNA at a crime scene, and your DNA on our murder victim."

"Oh? And who's your murder victim?" David asked.

"Leigh Karlana. Ring a bell?" David nodded, shrugging.

"Course. I know Leigh – I lived with her for a time. She helped me turn my life around, got me off the streets and got me a job…," David answered, his voice uncaring.

"Then why kill her?"

"I didn't. Haven't see Leigh in months… sorry to hear that she's dead," he added. Danny looked up at Flack.

"Oh really? Mind tellin' me how else your fingerprint got on the window of her hotel room, your blood on the carpet, and your DNA under her fingernails?"

"What hotel was she at?" David asked, instead of answering. Danny raised an eyebrow.

"Why does that matter?"

"Because I've only been back in my place for about week. I had my house fumigated – moved into a hotel for a while. I open the windows because the rooms are always stuffy, meaning my prints probably get on the glass. And I have a bit of an issue, cutting myself on my pocket knife, so I probably bled onto the carpet. And hotel staff, they do a shit job cleanin' up, so it was probably still there," David said, overly confident as he shrugged it off, and rolled up his sleeves to show some cuts on his arms that could have been made with a blade. Danny and Flack looked at each other, before Danny stood, and set a picture in front of David of Leigh, dead on the floor.

"Think about it for a few, we'll be back," he said, heading out of the room with Flack before shutting the door securely behind them.

"He's too confident, Flack, he had something to do with this..." Danny said, shaking his head.

"I agree, Danny, but we're probably better off seein' what Mac and Stella find at the apartment…" Danny sighed, and handing the file over to Flack, before crossing the room to get a drink.

_**PAGE BREAK**_

Stella moved into the lab, and laid an evidence container on the table in front of Lindsay. She turned her head, and found herself looking at a bloody knife, before looking up at Stella.

"It was in his garbage. Test the blood, see if it matches," Stella said, patting Lindsay on the shoulder. She smiled, and nodded, opening the container and reaching for a swab to get a sample.

Mac moved up to Flack, who sat at his desk rubbing his eyes, and leaned against the desk.

"Hey, Flack…where's Danny?"

"Went to get a drink," Flack answered, sitting back in his chair. "Did you find anything?"

"Found a bloody knife in the apartment, Lindsay's testing it now…" he answered. Danny stopped a few feet from the desk, holding a glass of water.

"You found the knife?" he asked. Mac looked over, and nodded, watching as Danny passed Flack's desk, and moved off to go see Lindsay.

_**PAGE BREAK**_

David lifted his head, watching as Danny walked into the room with a few pictures in his hands. The picture of Leigh that had been left on the table had been turned over, and pushed away, so David didn't have to see it, but as Danny took a seat, he flipped the picture back over, and shoved it across to him again.

"Leigh Karlana. She watched you speed away from a crime scene, didn't she David? A crime scene where you were the getaway, and a buddy of yours murdered a friend and neighbor of hers. And you knew she'd seen at least one of you, and you knew she'd talk, so you sent your buddy to her place, to finish her up. But she was smart, she played dead, and your 'bud' left, thinking she was dead. You, though, you realized she wasn't, when her obit wasn't in the paper, and the story of her death never made the news. So you tracked her down to the hotel, and you waited. You waited until you knew she wasn't going to be bothered before you came in the window, where you left your fingerprint on the glass," Danny spoke, not giving David the chance to speak as he slammed down a picture of the window.

David jerked back some in his chair, and he watched Danny, a look of fear and worry creeping onto his face. Mac, from the other side of the glass, glanced at Stella, who stood beside him, watching.

"I think we got him," he said, nodding a little. Stella nodded in agreement, smirking as Danny looked at the pictures in his hand.

"When you pulled the knife, Leigh fought you, knowing what you were about to do. She caught you a couple times, leading to those nice scratches on your arm," Danny said, putting down a picture of Leigh's nails before Sid cleaned them, before reaching out and flicking at the scratch marks David had exposed on his arm.

"You don't know what you're talking about, I told you, I was i-"

"We found your record of being in a hotel. It was for two days, in a _motel_, a few miles away. No one at this hotel has ever seen you before," Danny cut in, shutting him up. "**After** a few minutes, though, you got around her arms, and thrust the knife into her chest, right through her heart," he snapped, slamming down the picture of Leigh's wound. "We found the knife, in your trash – positive match to Leigh's blood, all over the blade…" he added, putting down an image of the knife. "But that wasn't enough, was it? You still weren't done. She was bleeding to death, and there was no way to save her, but you still had to just grab her by the head and," Danny said, lifting his hands and imitating the motions in the air between them, "you just _snapped _her neck! You snapped her neck to make sure she was _dead_, didn't you David?" Danny's voice flowed, angry, venomous, and determined, as he pointed the finger at David.

"That is _not_ why I snapped her neck!" David snapped, before pursing his lips and looking down. Danny paused, and leaned forward.

"Then why did you do it?" he said, his voice low, but still angry. David's eyes darted over the pictures in front of him, before he looked up, angry, but smirking.

"I didn't want her to talk to that cop outside her door. I ripped the knife out of her chest, but she was still gasping for air, still saying my name, and I grabbed her from behind, and ripped her head to the side before I dropped her to the floor…like trash." Danny threw the pictures to the table, pictures of the knife, the crime scene, and Leigh, and fought every urge to lean across the table, to grab David and whip him to the floor. Instead, he forced himself to his feet, and yanked open the door, letting in two uniformed officers.

"Get him outta my sight," he said, shaking his head, and looking away. Once David was cuffed, the officers led him out of the room, and off to get his paperwork going. Danny dropped into the chair, and sighed, running his hands over his head and down the back of his neck, as the door opened again, and Mac stepped in.

"…Good job, Danny." He looked up, and nodded.

"Lindsay also found Katy Michael's blood on the blade…and a complete print on the handle that matches the partial from _her_ neck. She said she has a match, and her, Stella, and Flack are heading over now to pick the guy up." Mac took a seat at the table across from Danny.

"Go home, Danny. We've got Leigh's killer, and he admitted what he did…He's going away, for a very long time. Go home," he said, patting his shoulder. "You've earned it." Danny opened his mouth, to object, before sighing, and standing, heading out of the room.

_**PAGE BREAK**_

The deadbolt clicked as it turned, and the doorknob jiggled as it turned, too. The door creaked, and opened, before Lindsay looked around and shut the door behind her.

"Danny?" she called.

"Yeah?" he called, stepping out of the bedroom and heading towards her voice. She looked over at him.

"Hey…you alright?" she asked, moving to embrace him and place a gentle kiss on his cheek. He shrugged, sighing, but held her against him.

"…I will be. Leigh's mom sent me a package of things that were Leigh's…said she would've wanted me to have them…" he said, shrugging. Lindsay pulled from the hug, glancing over at the table where the box sat.

"Did you tell her Leigh didn't suffer?" Lindsay asked, glancing up at him before moving towards the box. Danny nodded.

"It…it made her breathe a sigh of relief. She seemed happy to know her daughter didn't feel any pain," he said, nodding to acknowledge that he lied a little before he opened the box.

"What did she send you?"

"Some pictures…a home video that she'd taken the first time I met the family," he laughed softly, handing the video to Lindsay. "She sprung that one on me."

Lindsay helped Danny sort through the box, finding pictures, video tapes, and various items and objects that Leigh had stored at her mother's house after the two had broken up. As they neared the bottom of the box, Lindsay wrapped her fingers around a wooden frame, smiling as she lifted the picture to see.

"Danny?" He glanced up for a second before looking back down at the record in his hands.

"Yeah?"

"…Would you like to hang this one up?" she asked, turning the picture it around. He moved the box a little to see the picture, and smiled, carefully taking it from her. It was of him and Leigh, grinning at the camera as they embraced, the picture almost nothing but their smiling faces.

"…Do you mind?" he asked, looking up at her.

"Of course not. She was your friend, Danny...besides, would I have asked if I did?" she pointed out, patting his shoulder and taking the picture back as she stood up. He turned his head, and watched her cross the room, reaching up to hang the frame on an empty tack that was still in the wall.

"Thanks, Montana," he smirked, standing and wrapping his arms around her, kissing her cheek. "…I love you."

"I love you too, Danny."


End file.
